Saturday, December 23, 2006

The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D. 70

The first time I saw this painting was in James Charlesworth's office at Princeton Theological Seminary. I was captivated by it then and have become reacquainted with it recently.

The painting is by the British (Scottish) artist David Roberts (1796-1864) and is titled The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D. 70. The original, completed in 1849, was sold at auction in 1961 to an Italian art dealer in London. The painting made its way to Rome and was sold shortly thereafter, but there is no record of the transaction.

It is believed Roberts carefully studied Josephus' account of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in preparing the 7 by 12 feet oil painting.

Tonight on CNN at 8 PM EST (replay on Sun 12/24, 8PM) there is a 2 hour presentation called "After Jesus: The First Christians". This show deals with Early Christianity and discusses the affect the destruction of the Temple had on ancient Judaism and Christianity. I have seen a bit of it and both Bart Ehrman (UNC) and Amy-Jill Levine (Vanderbilt) feature prominently in the documentary.

1 comment:

please can you give me some more information about the picture that is hanging,as you say, on the office wall at Princeton Theological Seminary is it a modern day copy or is it an original 1850 lithograph by Louis Hague. I have been searching for this picture trying to establish how many are still in existance. thank you callkevan@live.co.uk

Contributors

Readers

Books by Ourselves

Amazon Search Engine

Bible Works 8

Logos Bible Software

Accordance

Michael Bird as One of the Church Fathers

You’re St. Melito of Sardis!

You have a great love of history and liturgy. You’re attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins.

Joel Willitts as One of the Church Fathers

You’re St. Justin Martyr!

You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find “seeds of the Word” in unexpected places. You’re patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers.